This will be a quick one. I grew up in New England, and as a kid I was free to explore my gender identity and sexuality without much fear of violence or rejection. Simply put, New England is a more accepting place than most when it comes to gender variance. I was free to show up to school in a skirt with painted nails because I wasn’t the only guy dressed like that, there was strength in numbers.

In Nebraska, where I am now, gender variance is viewed as something that needs to be hidden. It is so hard to meet other TG people here because everyone tries their hardest to go deep stealth. (I personally don’t plan on going stealth because I think that by being out I can draw more attention to the subject.) Even my androgyny and the androgyny of many of my friends (I hang out with a very odd crowd of androgynous sexually ambiguous creatures) illicites negative comments like “fag” or “dyke.” This confuses the hell out of me, as there are so many butch “straight” women in the Midwest!

Also, I’ve noticed in my travels as a young lad that even parts of Europe are less progressive than New England in terms of gnder variance. Once in Munich, I got called “fag” for having bright green fingernails. This blew my mind, as we are fed a story of Europe as a liberal playground. I would never be called fag at my school just for painting my nails!

Anyway, it’s amazing to see all the cultural differences between different parts of the country. Mental illness also has a strong stigma out here in Nebraska that wasn’t present (or at least remained hidden) in New England.